Science

Wind Energy
Harnessing the Wind in the ECO Garden
*Adapted from kid wind.org
Grade 5

Focus
Harnessing the Wind for a Sustainable World
Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources
Energy
Sustainability


Questions
What is energy?
What are the types of energy?
What is renewable energy?
What is non renewable energy?
What is wind energy?
What is wind energy used for?
How does wind energy contribute to sustainability?
How much wind is necessary for producing energy?
What is a wind turbine?
How are they made (engineering)?
What is wind velocity?
How is the velocity measured?
What materials can be used to build a wind turbine for outdoor measurement of energy
output?
How can I measure the amount of energy that is produced from my wind turbine?
What type of day should the turbines be tested? Should this be a changing variable to
be tested over several days?
How can wind energy benet the Earth?


Resources
Books:
Energy Island- by Allan Drummond- focuses on Samso Island in Denmark where they
switched to renewable energy sources to power their island

Brilliant! Shining a Light on Sustainable Energy-Michelle Mulder

The Shocking Truth about Energy-Loreen Leedy

http://store.kidwind.org-for possible purchase of materials for the turbines/measuring
Resources for teacher to teach the elements of wind, measuring the output of turbines
and creation of the turbines
http://learn.kidwind.org/teach


http://learn.kidwind.org/learn


(extra information on inventors in the eld of energy)
http://www.energy.gov/edison-vs-tesla


Instructions on how to build a wind turbine, materials needed and how to measure the
energy that is generated by the turbine
http://learn.kidwind.org/les/manuals/SCIENCEFAIRKIT_MANUAL.pdf
http://learn.kidwind.org/teach
http://www.instructables.com/id/Model-Wind-Turbine-KidWind-Project/


Process
Students will read about and explore with the teacher the benets of wind energy and
how it is generated. kidwind.org has power points and various tutorials that will aid in
teaching the principles of wind energy. The books in resources will aid in teaching this
element.

After a discussion and tutorials on the engineering elements of a turbine students will
get in groups and design their own turbine to test in the ECO Garden under variables to
be determined by the group.

Teacher must teach and provide the instruments for testing the amount of energy
produced by the turbines. Provided in the teach links on the website kidwind.org.

Materials
This website gives variations of building and design
http://learn.kidwind.org/les/manuals/SCIENCEFAIRKIT_MANUAL.pdf

or

http://www.instructables.com/id/Model-Wind-Turbine-KidWind-Project/
gives step by step instructions with items that are purchased-see list of materials below











Hardware Store Parts

5X - 1" PVC 90 Degree Fittings
3X - 1" PVC T Fitting
1X - 1" PVC Coupler
6X - 6" Lengths of 1" PVC Pipe
1X - 24" Length of 1" PVC Pipe
1X - 2" Length of 1" PVC Pipe
2X - Alligator Clips
At least 3X - 15-18" Sheets of balsa wood (You can also use pie plates, index cards, or
paper plates)

Special Parts (might want to check out KidWind website for these)

1X - Wind Turbine Generator (Small DC motor...many DC motors at hobby shops and
hardware stores do not work well for generating measurable voltage at low RPMs)
4ft - 22 Gauge Hook Up Wire
1X - Crimping Hub (this is a special part sold by KidWind, but you can also use a tinker
toy hub.)
At least 6X - 1/4' Diameter Poplar Dowels

Tools and Extra Materials Needed

Wire Strippers
Duct Tape
Glue
Drill

Other considerations

To test the power of your wind turbine, consider:

A Multimeter
Christmas LED Bulbs

You will need a fan or a wind source to make your turbine run.


Elements for students to submit
Written and pictorial descriptions-
Students will submit design for turbine and will submit materials list.
Students will build their design and determine variables that will be used to run various
tests for amount of energy produced
students will record and compare the amount of energy produced according to the
variable
students will compare their turbine with other groups to determine which design might
be the most beneficial energy producer
students will write a summary of the project and how wind energy is beneficial and could
work in their school or another location such as the example in the book Energy Island

Assessment
all written submissions
group work and participation
overall interest and active role in the design and building phases
summary of the benefits of wind energy and the experience of the project